German Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted Sunday that her government would not try to introduce a speed limit on the nation’s freeways, despite a proposal from her coalition’s junior party.
Merkel insists Germany’s autobahn remain free of speed limit
Members of one of Germany’s governing parties on Saturday backed a proposal to introduce a speed limit on highways, a measure that would revoke a cherished freedom in this rule-bound country and was likely to be met with resistance.
Germany’s speed limit-free Autobahn may fall victim to fears of global warming after the Social Democrats unexpectedly voted on Saturday in favour of introducing a top speed of 130 kph (80 mph).
The British Department of Transportation believes that “active traffic management” - in which the speed limit varies according to the conditions - will be a cheaper way of accommodating rising traffic levels than widening motorways. Unfortunately, they are lowering the speed limit to 40mph, despite that a government survey showed that over half of drivers exceeded the 70mph speed limit.
